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Upcoming Events

Careers in Lobbying & State Government Alumni Panel

Thursday, November 9, 2023 11:00am - 12:00pm PST

Location: Handshake

Come hear from three alumni who work in lobbying and state government in Sacramento. Learn about the different career paths in local government, the skills needed, and what you can be doing at Cal Poly to prepare for this line of work.

 

Link to Fall 2023 Event Calendar

Department News

Senior Projects – Attention Fourth-year Students

If you are a fourth-year student and have not yet found a senior project advisor, it is crucial that you find an advisor ASAP. The senior project is generally a two-quarter sequence of courses: POLS 461 and POLS 462. To be able to register for the courses, you need to find a faculty advisor who is willing to work with you. Your advisor will give you a permission code to register.

You can find much more information about the senior project here: https://politicalscience.calpoly.edu/students/political_science_major/senior-projects

On that page, you will also find a list of potential advisors with their specialties. Some faculty are already at capacity and can’t take on more students. If you have trouble finding an advisor, you can reach out to Dr. Denbow at jdenbow@calpoly.edu.

Winter 2024 Class Schedule

Click here for the POLS winter schedule.

400 Level Courses for Winter

POLS 419- Social Movements and Political Protests

This course addresses major themes and struggles in selected social movements that have taken place in the United States from the 1960s to the present.  Through the study of such movements as civil rights, feminism, the LGBTQ movement, and immigration, the course will explore what makes collective political action possible, why social movements have emerged at specific times and places, and the effects of grassroots struggles for justice in the United States.  

POLS 420- Contemporary U.S. Foreign Policy

This course addresses the historical influences and theoretical assumptions behind contemporary U.S. foreign policy. We examine several competing perspectives surrounding recent developments of America’s role and place in the world. These various perspectives of American power and influence are explored while introducing students to the main concepts used to analyze U.S. foreign policy, such as international influences, domestic institutions, public opinion, elites, ideas, and economic forces. These in-depth analyses will provide us with a firm grounding in understanding contemporary U.S. foreign policy. Our primary objective is to question whether America will remain the sole superpower in the 21st century or be replaced by an ally or adversary

POLS 426- International Organizations and Law

This course delves into the intersection of international law and international organizations in world affairs. We will explore four primary areas of international law and organizations: arms control and non-proliferation, trade and intellectual property rights, human rights and humanitarian law, and global environmental politics. Through our examination of these legal regimes and institutions, we will engage in debates and analyses of several current global controversies, such as Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Palestine, to better understand the opportunities and limitations of international organizations and law in global affairs and politics. In addition to conventional institutions, this course aims to examine competing organizations and their roles on the international stage. Our objective is to address whether international organizations and law contribute to promoting cooperation and peace or incite conflict and war in the 21st century. 

*Please note that course content is subject to change 

POLS 428-01- Comparative Civil-Military Relations

POLS 428-02- Advanced Topics in Chinese Politics

Much of the world’s future will be shaped by politics of and relationship between the United States and China.  Yet our American/Western understanding of Chinese politics is limited for ideological, historical, and methodological reasons.  Most importantly, the Confucian way of thinking, discussing, organizing, and practicing politics had been evolving for nearly three millennia before the country’s first encounters with the West.  A substantial part of this historical and cultural foundation was “lost in translation.”  Examining Chinese contemporary politics from historical and cultural angles, this course provides brief but penetrating insights into the cultural values that ground the Chinese polity, the historical circumstances that gave rise to modern Chinese politics, and the quintessential Confucian political characteristics that are manifested in present-day Chinese political life under the Communist banner.  

POLS 429- Middle Eastern Politics

The aim of this course is to provide a detailed and challenging introduction to the international relations of the Middle East by outlining how distortion of Islam combined with Western imperialist interests in the region has led to the contemporary climate in the Islamic world.

The study of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s political theory of independence, progress & peace - which he described as “a direction of peace aiming at the security of our country and which is not against any nation will always be our principle”- is of vital importance a) to set an example for the political, social and economic development of the region b) to reconstruct religious thought by utilizing Professor Ozturk’s school of thought, which unveils laicism as a principle of Quran’s Islam c) to build foreign policies based on independence, human rights, international law & peace.

POLS 445- Voting Rights and Representation

POLS 451- Technology and Public Policy

Technology and Public Policy addresses the growing complexity of science and technology policy in the 21st century. It introduces students to the historical influences and contemporary challenges that shape the trajectory of science and technology policy in the American context primarily and in reference to global political economy and geopolitical developments. The course explores important questions about the role of science in determining the competitiveness of nations, and in enhancing or hampering democratic practice. We focus on real world events and the role power plays in shaping scientific and technological outcomes. While studying specific issue areas, such as robotics, geoengineering, neuroscience, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence, students examine intellectual property rights, technology transfer, public laboratories, research universities, and peer review, among other areas of public policy to understand the mechanisms that lead to technological innovation within the United States R & D system since WWII. In addition to selected essays, students read the book, Mind Wars.

POLS 470- Moot Court and Appellate Advocacy

POLS 471- Urban Politics

Land Us Planning, Public/Finance/Debt, Budgeting, Intergovernmental Relations, Disaster Management (fires), Pensions, Public Safety, Litigation, Legislation, Regulation and. Ballot Measures.

 

Important Dates for Winter Registration

DATE	DAY	EVENT
October 19	Thursday	Class Schedule for Winter 2024 is available in Schedule Builder and Class Search.
October 31	Tuesday	First-year students ONLY Block schedules will be made available via Schedule Builder and the Student Center by 5pm on October 31. Students can plan revisions to their block schedule information in their Schedule Builder beginning on this date; students will be unable to complete the registration transaction until their enrollment appointment.
November 1	Wednesday	Student Center opens for registration appointments. Students can enroll in up to 18 units and waitlist up​ to 16 units in the first round of registration
November 17	Friday	End of first round registration appointments
November 27	Monday	Second round of registration appointment rotations. Enrollment unit limit increases to 22 and waitlist remains at 16 units. Late registration fee can apply. For more information, visit Student Accounts Office.
December 4	Monday	End of second round registration appointments
December 5	Tuesday	Open Enrollment Begins
January 7	Sunday	Deadline: Open Enrollment Ends
January 8	Monday	Winter 2024 classes begin Students can continue to enroll in open classes or add themselves to waitlists without permission numbers Waitlist process runs twice a day (noon and evening) to enroll students from waitlists if seats open up.
January 11	Thursday	Last day to enroll in open classes without a permission number Waitlist process runs for the last time
January 12-18	Friday-Thursday	Students can enroll only with a permission number. Student Center closes for maintenance on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m.
January 15	Monday	Academic Holiday - Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Observed
January 16	Tuesday	Classes follow a Monday schedule
January 18	Thursday	Deadlines Last day to add or swap classes via Student Center with a permission number (11:59 p.m.). Last day to drop classes, and change CR/NC grading option via Student Center (11:59 p.m.). *Before changing your grading option, please speak with your advisor. Last day to submit class audit petition to the Office of the Registrar (5:00 p.m.). Last day to log in and adjust your Degree Planner to ensure that your planned courses are included in course demand data. Failing to log into Degree Planner before this date will not result in a delayed registration appointment.
January 19	Friday	Late Enrollment Appeal period begins.
January 25	Thursday	Deadline Last day to submit Late Enrollment Appeal (5:00 p.m.).

Wondering Who Your Concentration Advisor Is?

**When declaring your concentration, make sure you are using the correct concentration form. The appropriate concentration form will list the name of your concentration on the top of the page. You will find all POLS concentration forms here.

MAJORS

AMERICAN POLITICS: DR. MICHAEL LATNER

GLOBAL POLITICS: DR. ANIKA LEITHNER

PRE-LAW: DR. Ron Den Otter

INDIVIDUALIZED (ICS): DR. Jean Williams

 

MINORS

POLITICAL SCIENCE: DR. MATTHEW MOORE

GLOBAL POLITICS: DR. CRAIG ARCENEAUX

LAW & SOCIETY: DR. Ron Den Otter

Internship and Volunteer Opportunities

CAUSE Leadership Academy Internship Program

The Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE) is excited to announce that the application for the 2024 CAUSE Leadership Academy (CLA) is now open!

The CAUSE Leadership Academy (CLA), is a nine-week paid internship program for college undergraduates and recent graduates that prepares students and recent graduates to lead and advocate for the civic engagement and political empowerment of the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community.

By the end of the program, interns have dramatically increased their confidence to pursue careers in community advocacy, public policy, government affairs, and public interest law. CLA alumni have developed clarity on their academic major and career path, gone on to leadership roles on campus, and shaped legislation and policy.

|  PROGRAM INFORMATION

Some details may change as public health circumstances shift. 

DATES: June 24th - August 23rd, 2024 

STIPEND: $4,000

PROGRAM SUMMARY: The 2024 CAUSE Leadership Academy (CLA) is a nine-week, paid, full-time, in-person internship program that prepares college students and recent graduates to lead and advocate for the civic engagement and political empowerment of the API community. Interns will participate in Civic Leadership Workshops, a Host Office Placement in Southern California, a Civic Engagement Project, and the Capitol Summit.

To learn more, click here!

|  APPLICATION INFORMATION

DEADLINE: Sunday, January 28th, 2024 at 11:59 pm PT

Applicants must complete the application including a letter of recommendation by the date listed above.

To apply, click here!

The Washington Center- Academic Internship Program

Click here for more information

Professor Shelley Hurt is the Cal Poly faculty liaison. Please contact her with any questions.

Launch a Career You'll Love.

You have the power to design your own professional path, but you still need to know what you want and how you’ll get there. That’s where a summer or semester in the nation’s capital with The Washington Center (TWC) comes in.

TWC’s Academic Internship Program is a holistic experience designed to help you gain the experience, skills and network you’ll need to succeed, all while earning academic credit.

Program Dates

Clubs

• Political Science Club
• Model United Nations
• Mock Trial
• Paidea

Campus Announcements

BEACoN Research Projects

Intertidal Submissions Open to all Cal Poly Community!

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Navigating Your Career with Confidence- November 8th

In celebration of First Gen Day, Cal Poly Career Services invites student to attend this transformative and inspiring keynote featuring, Oscar Garcia, a first-generation professional. Oscar provides a unique perspective and understanding of how historically marginalized groups can overcome imposter syndrome and navigate their career with unshakable confidence. This highly engaging session will provide practical strategies and insightful tips to develop self-confidence and excel in your career journey. All students are welcome to attend.

Students of all backgrounds and identities will find value in Oscar's message.

Agenda: 4:30 PM (check-in, food provided)

5:00 PM keynote speaker

6:30 PM event concludes

Click here for more information.

DEAD NAME: an ongoing multimedia performance by artist Sammie Veeler

explores gender transition and identity formation in the digital age.

Wednesday, November 15 at 6pm

Thursday, November 16 at 11am

Jack and Felicia Cashin Expressive Technology Studios

Frost Center, ground floor

RSVP HERE

The Department of Art & Design is please to present Dead Name: a multimedia performance by LA-based artist Sammie Veeler, presented in conjunction with the University Art Gallery’s current exhibition LIFELIKE. In this work, Veeler performs the role of female archivist, leading us through the digital remains of a dead male artist: her late husband, Tvordis Veeler. Combining worldbuilding with virtual reality and live performance, Dead Name elucidates the complexity of identity formation in the digital age, when past versions of ourselves are archived with or without our consent across online platforms. The startling live experience of this work provokes questions about vulnerability and body sovereignty in a hybrid world. It also opens space for discussion about the nature of memory, the importance of co-creation in technology, and our collective responsibility as digital historians for ourselves and our communities.

Dead Name is an ongoing series of site-specific performances. It has been performed eight times since October 2022, with support from Gray Area, Honor Fraser Gallery, Octobre Numerique Faire Monde, the Tezos Foundation, and SAIC. In addition, Veeler maintains a public virtual archive of every performance in the series, installed in a virtual world on New Art City. This iteration at Cal Poly is sponsored by the Office of University Diversity and Inclusion; ASI; Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies Program; Department of Art & Design; Women’s, Gender, and Queer Studies; the Gender Equity Center; and the Pride FSA ❤️

Questions about the event? Please contact Allison Myers at amyers14@calpoly.edu.

Cal Poly HSI High Impact Mini-Grant Program for AY23-24

Cal Poly strives to be a university that enhances student success by creating a culturally rich environment of diversity and inclusion, academic excellence, and social responsibility. To further our mission of becoming an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) that thinks critically and holistically about serving the Latinx/e community, we are excited to announce the Cal Poly HSI High Impact Mini-Grant Program for AY23-24. This program is designed to support initiatives that advance our goals of "servingness" in our efforts to become an HSI. Up to ten mini-grants will be awarded ranging from $500 to $5,000 for projects and programs that demonstrate a strong potential to holistically impact the Latinx/e community at Cal Poly.  

Deadline: Nov 30, 2023

Eligibility: 

All Faculty, staff, and students at Cal Poly are eligible to apply including individuals, organizations, departments, and units. 

Project Focus: Proposed projects should align with the mission of Cal Poly's pathway to becoming an HSI and center the experiences of the Latinx/e community. 

Grant Categories: 

Applicants may apply for mini-grants in the following categories: 

• Educational Initiatives: Projects that enhance educational opportunities and outcomes for Latinx/e students, such as curriculum development, mentorship programs, or academic support services. 
• Cultural and Community Engagement: Initiatives that promote Latinx/e culture, heritage, and community engagement on campus, including cultural events, workshops, and awareness campaigns. 
• Research and Innovation: Projects that support research endeavors and innovations that address issues relevant to the Latinx/e community or contribute to the advancement of Cal Poly’s HSI status in STEM, as a Predominantly White Institution, as a CSU etc.  

More details here: here: https://diversity.calpoly.edu/cal-poly-hsi-high-impact-mini-grant-program

Baker/Koob Research Grants

The Warren J. Baker Endowment for Excellence in Project-Based Learning and the Robert D. Koob Endowment for Student Success support hands-on, project-based learning opportunities for individual students and groups at Cal Poly. All Cal Poly undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply for funds that may be used for student and faculty travel, student and faculty expenses associated with participation in student research, group projects, conferences, competitions, and equipment and materials related to student research. For more information and instructions on how to apply, visit https://provost.calpoly.edu/endowments.

The application period for the 2023-24 Baker/Koob grants is open and applications will be accepted through Wednesday, Nov. 8.

Real-Time Occupancy Rates Available for On-Campus Study Spaces

The Kennedy Library Transformation team is launching the Waitz mobile app to help increase access to Cal Poly’s study areas and make it easier to track availability of on-campus spaces, during the university’s ongoing library renovation. The mobile app will allow students and members of the campus community to check real-time occupancy of the study spaces so they can save time and know before they go. Waitz launches the week of Oct. 9 with the C-7 and H-11 study structures and will expand to the Hub24 and Sierra Madre study spaces before expanding throughout the quarter to other existing temporary study locations. Using predictive analytics, the app relays the busiest times of day for specific study areas and forecasts how occupied the space will be by the week, day or even hour, letting users know if a study site is potentially busy. All collected information goes through a data anonymization process to remove personally-identifiable information. Occuspace, the parent company of Waitz, adheres to industry-leading best practices to ensure the protection and confidentiality of information gathered. Free downloads of Waitz are available from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Support Mustangs Struggling with Food Insecurity through Feed Cal Poly

Feed Cal Poly makes it easy for all faculty, staff, students and supporters to donate to Mustangs in need. Food insecurity is a very real and persistent problem on campus. Support of the Cal Poly Basic Needs Initiative through donations to Feed Cal Poly helps ensure all Mustangs have access to the resources they need to succeed. The Feed Cal Poly website makes donating quick, easy and accessible, with no limit on donation size. Simply login and follow the steps. Students with dining memberships also have the option to donate unused dining dollars through the Mustang Meal Share Program. All donors will receive a receipt for tax purposes. Watch for the Feed Cal Poly tent at events throughout campus for more ways to get involved and support fellow Mustangs.

VISIT FEED CAL POLY

Food Resources

The Cal Poly Food Pantry is open to all students - no questions asked. Cal Poly community members who are experiencing food insecurity or instability are welcome to shop at the Food Pantry, Monday through Friday 8:30am - 5pm.

Our mission is to work with a network of community partners to alleviate hunger in San Luis Obispo County and build a stronger community. Cal Poly hosts a SLO Food Bank Pick Up site open to all on the 4th Tuesday of every month on Mott Lawn.

CalFresh is like financial aid for food! The CalFresh Team helps determine if you are eligible for up to $204 per month to spend on groceries and at farmers' markets.

Students can receive up to $75 per quarter to assist with meals on campus at Vista Grande, Campus Market, Red Radish, Mustang Station, and PCV.

Transportation Resource

Ryde

A service to help Cal Poly students travel home affordably and comfortably with other members of our student community. In October, Ryde was launched with 3 Cal Poly students and we’ve since welcomed 2,200+ Cal Poly students to our community and helped them travel 160,000+ miles across California while saving them $14,700+ in gas!

Ryde helps students connect with other riders and drivers in the community. Want to learn more about us?

About Us

Cal Poly CIE – Summer Accelerator Spotlight

Cal Poly CIE – Demo Day Pitch

Mustang New – Ryde

Cal Poly Corporation Highlight

Educational Opportunities

The University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)

At the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), you can explore your passions and develop your potential — your way. Our small, supportive community within a world-class university provides access to internationally known faculty, extensive opportunities, and a vast alumni network all dedicated to your success. https://seas.umich.edu/

U.C. Berkeley Political Science Department PhD Program

Are you considering applying for a PhD in Political Science?

https://polisci.berkeley.edu/graduate-program

California State University, San Bernardino Masters Programs

M.A. National Security Studies

The two-year M.A. program provides a comprehensive curriculum with foundations in strategy and strategic studies for students interested in pursuing careers with the U.S. government or with private companies. M.A. program alumni serve in many different career fields, including defense, security, intelligence, and counter-terrorism. For more information, click here.

M.S. National Cyber Security Studies

The two year M.S. program is one of the few graduate programs in the country that is devoted to the study of U.S. national cyber security. M.S. program alumni serve in many different career fields, including defense, security, intelligence. For more information, click here.

University of Oregon Masters in Education Policy and Leadership

University of Oregon a new master of science degree in Education Policy and Leadership. The program combines theoretical grounding in education policy and leadership studies, advanced methodological and analytic training, and applied and practical knowledge in students' individual areas of topical interest. You can reach out to epol@uoregon.edu for questions or visit their website.

Cal Poly Orfalea College of Business Graduate Programs

Faculty Office Hours and CLA Advising

POLS Department Fall 2023

Faculty Office Hours

Graduate School Advisor

POLS Department announcing new position, Graduate School Advisor, Professor Shelley Hurt, who has successfully steered many Cal Poly students to great success in graduate schools across the country from UC Berkley to Columbia University, to the London School of Economics in Britain. She is now providing advice to all interested POLS students who wants to pursue their education at the M.A. or Doctoral level in pursuit of a broader horizon of career opportunities. 

Email her or drop by during her office hours (47-11C) on Tuesdays from 1-5pm.

College of Liberal Arts Advising

Archives

November 1, 2023

October 25, 2023

October 18, 2023

October 11, 2023

October 4, 2023

September 27, 2023

2022-2023 Archives